Steelers P Zoltan Mesko Likely Done In Pittsburgh

Tuesday during his press conference, Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin was asked to talk about the performance of punter Zoltan Mesko through the first six games of the season and he made it clear that he needed to improve.

“It’s been a mixed bag until this point,” said Tomlin. “It’s been inconsistent. Just about every game over the last three games he has had what I call a junior varsity punt. Thankfully we only punted once in the game [against the Ravens], negatively he didn’t get an opportunity to redeem himself from the punt. We need more consistency there.”

In the loss Sunday to the Oakland Raiders, Mesko was anything but consistent. While his first punt did travel 45 yards, it resulted in a net of just 27 following a 20 yard return by Raiders wide receiver Jacoby Ford and subsequent fumble out of bounds.

Mesko’s next punt, following the Steelers second straight three and out by the offense, was blocked and while tight end David Paulson didn’t help matters by letting Raiders running back Rashad Jennings get past him on the right edge, Mesko didn’t cleanly field the snap from long snapper Greg Warren.

Mesko’s next punt from the Raiders 49 yard-line ended up in the end zone for a touchback and a net of 29 yards.

Following a 51 yard punt by Mesko midway through the second quarter, his next one would have even embarrassed a high school junior varsity punter as it flew all of 30 yards.

Based on his performance so far, you have to think the left-footed Mesko has punted his last ball for the Steelers, who will likely bring in several free agents for tryouts either Monday or Tuesday. This Zoltan certainly hasn’t brought any power to the city of Pittsburgh and a change, albeit a week too late, is needed.

if he is still on the team tomorrow I will be shocked. This kid is terrible!

Frank Nitti

bring back butler. he can’t be worse…

Douglas Andrews

You mean to tell me Drew Butler wouldn’t have been any better?? That was a big mistake letting Butler go for this guy he’s been pretty bad when we needed him to be a weapon

Matthew Marczi

Easy to say that now. Mesko had a solid body of work coming into this season.

Douglas Andrews

He did..I speak out of frustration. If we have to spend alot of time talking about our punter……well you know the rest

dgh57

If Butler can’t be any better either what’s the use? We need to improve in this area not spin our wheels!

Matthew Marczi

Fair enough. I can relate. My second-half recap was close to just being a link to the Benny Hill theme.

Nolrog

I’m surprised they kept him around this long. He was terrible in London; I figured he’d be gone then for sure. Need a punter that can turn field position around.

Rubem Dornas

Kapinos and Sepulveda are dead? They are way better than Butler and Mesko (at least this Mesko we are seeing).

Richard Edlin

Not necessarily a great sign when you’re released in pre-season though. I think the Patriots(?) are pretty pleased to have been proved right.

CrazyTerry

Why the hell wouldnt you consider Sepulveda, assuming he hasn’t retired. So what if he gets injured? You just get another punter. But he is much better than these losers.

Eric

You are absolutely right Doug. We trashed Butler because Mesko had better number last year. Another coach/management blunder.

Eric

Did Mesko have an impressive 2013 preseason? I think not.

Shannon Stephenson

Butler was awful as well. At least Mesko at one time punted well.

Shannon Stephenson

Not sure why Kapinos was not brought back in…he was decent at least…poor Sep could never stay healthy.

http://pittsburghsportsinat.blogspot.com/ bgsteelfan

His signing was in no way an upgrade over Butler. Yet another front office mitsake..

Eric

I am not sure his past performance matters now.

Eric

On the second missed FG, Mesko did not have the ball positioned vertically. The ball was leaning toward him and the kick was wide right.

Shannon Stephenson

doesnt look that way

Douglas Andrews

I just didn’t think Butler was that bad in preseason bad enough to lose his job that is

Douglas Andrews

I didn’t think he did a good job on either missed kick. It looked like he tilted to the right too much on both misses.

Eric

I didn’t see the replay of the first miss, but you confirmed what I saw on the second miss.

T R

just let me know when he gone.. Nuf Said.. Give him his pink slip and lets move on..

Dr. Doom

Butler is not an NFL capable punter, and Sepulveda has been out of football going on 2 years. But, there has to be someone.

SG

The problem is that they made a move for Zoltan when they had other more serious concerns on the team to address. Punter was the least of their troubles.

JAMESH

After giving a subordinate a pretty devastating performance review, I asked him what he thought. He responded “After reading this, if I were in charge, I would fire the guy who hired me.” Maybe it is time.

Bob Graff

My best advice would be to call the first family of punting[The Colquitts] if they don’t have a family member available they probably have trained a punter who is ready to go.

Whcr Communicators

he was good last year, wtf happened to him in such a short time

Holland Henderson

Zohan is the tip of the iceberg. I will endure this if it means rebuilding…rebuilding means u need to gut rhe whole team

CrazyTerry

You cant rebuild when Colbert has become a total idiot in recent months. Redoing cap numbers for veterans even now??? This team needs to rebuild. They should be trading players away. Thank god, they didnt extend Ryan Clark.

Bob Graff

There are ways to quick rebuild, but there are problems. Haley is the single biggest one, I mean 4 th and goal he calls his famous everybody do a 5 yard button hook play from 10 yards out. We do have some talent but the problem is coaching and management.Start by cutting loose the big idiot. We have a 2 time Superbowl winning QB and the coach is making him look like a fool.

Fire.Mike.Tomlin

He has sucked terribly, BUT the touchback was on the ST players, not him. That was* a downable punt. None of them knew where the hell the ball was though.

Nolrog

You’re probably not going to improve much in the middle of the year. But you should also hold people accountable for their performances. So even if it’s a lateral move, it needs to be made.

r4kolb

Maybe Mesko is really a Patriot double agent!

r4kolb

Heck Craig may be better then Mesko!!!!!

r4kolb

Bottom line is this. All week long Dave and Dave and Matthew had all been talking about containing Pryor. So you would “think” that Tomlin and his crack staff would also be preaching it, not? Then, First play of the game they let him take it back 93 yards to the house. That set the tone for the game. I predicted they would lose this game. Tomlin NEVER has them ready for the West coast. 5 – 11 at best.

steeltown

I was on the Mesko wagon…. I have officially jumped

Dr. Doom

im sick of those wounded ducks too.

Dr. Doom

age

Dr. Doom

I think he may be worse than the firm of Berger & Ernster circa 2008

Dr. Doom

So no blame on Woodley for not having containment, or Ryan Clark for not staying home, or for Ike Taylor who just stood there?

JC Chuta

What was wrong with our Punter last year that warranted his release in order to bring in Mesko? Who’s calling the shots for the Steelers? It may be the GM (who’s in charge of ensuring we get talented players). Hailey and GM need to be shown the door. I am not including Tomlin in there as I know this isn’t going to happen (Knoll and Cowher were allowed several years of mediocrity, how could they not give Tomlin an opportunity to redeem himself?) They would be accused of being racists…you know it’s true!!!

JC Chuta

…and let’s not forget that Sepulveda was picked in a relatively low round (we could have landed better talent!) Who’s making these calls? Geez!

JC Chuta

You keyed-in on something I have pointed out long ago. Tomlin rarely preps his team for inferior talent like the Raiders (not just this last Sunday, look at the previous years when Raiders have clobbered us…WTF?!) We can beat the Jets in their home, we can beat the SB Champion Ravens, but we can’t beat the lowly Raiders???!!! (and I don’t want to hear; “but the Raiders are an improving team”. They are still bottom of the barrel mediocrity!)

Luke Shabro

You win today Matthew! That one had me cracking up. For the next breakdown you do of the OL just show the commercial with the “regular guys” on the offensive line that get destroyed

Luke Shabro

You’re Kevin Colbert, sign a free agent punter at the time Mesko was available that is better than Mesko, Butler or Moorman.

Luke Shabro

“Another front office blunder” is what everyone keeps saying on here. I am not absconding the front office of complete blame. They are responsible for some awful picks but again if you were Kevin Colbert prior to Week 1, who do you sign (who is a free agent) that is better than Mesko, Butler or Moorman. Perhaps we should’ve drafted a punter in the third round like the Jags they seem to be fairing better than us….

Eric

If I am Kevin Colbert I sign the more expensive, older F/A, but since I am not Kevin Colbert, I keep the younger, less expensive punter that worked his ass off all training camp trying to make the team.

Luke Shabro

Well clearly if Butler is in there we win the game and probably are undefeated at this point. I said better than Mesko, Butler or Moorman. Steelers Nation was completely unsatisfied with Butler’s performance from 2012 and the 2013 preseason. But I’m sure if Butler had been retained and had played poorly, nobody would’ve thought Colbert made another “blunder”.

Eric

Nobody says we win with Butler or Moorman, but they were averaging 42 yards per punt in camp and Mesko averaged 45 last year. Yesterday he averaged 35, took a 4 step punt that was blocked and may have mishandled both holds that sushi missed. Perhaps the answer to our losing is more sarcasm.

Steve

I looked at those 2 kicks that Sushi missed and posed that Mesko had the ball slanted both times. Thats 6 points off the board.

charles

He did mishold the failed fg atempts.

charles

I said the exact same thing in the losers article. Woodley set the tone with his rookie mistake. He should be cut immediately. That was his second game changing play for the other team this year alone. You forgot to include LeBeau. The front seven looked like they had never seen an option play before. Also don’t forget Colbert’s input: the 60 million Woodley and 40 mill wide reciever

HopalongCassidy

Sadly, the Steelers are now part of the “inferior talent” in the league. Their record proves it.

charles

Have you considered that Tomlin is a figurehead and that Colbert and someone higher in the foodchain is making the decisions? Look at
100, 000 million of our money 60 mil Woodley and 40 mil AB.

Rick Eger

And another blunder by Eric…

Eric

I am not sure what you mean by that Rick. Care to explain?

Rick Eger

So who said the Raiders are inferior? lol it’s the Steelers who stink.

Rick Eger

Roethlisberger didn’t look good either, he should be cut too!

Rick Eger

Punter is the least of their problems..

Michael Pearce

Where is Butler? He never should have been cut in the first place.

Dr. Doom

I would not say that in a close game the punter can be a defenses best friend by flipping the field.

Ia Ia

And NOBODY IS PAYING. I want COLBERT DUMBLIN HALEY AND LeBEAU FIRED

JC Chuta

You need to check-in with “reality” schmuck! Raiders still mediocre and Al Davis still running the team… from his grave!

Rick Eger

Check the stats pal, the Raiders always’ give the Steelers a rough time no matter what the records are…